1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for managing electronic messages in a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for an announcing receipt of electronic messages in a data processing system.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet, also referred to as an xe2x80x9cinternetworkxe2x80x9d, is a set of computer networks, possibly dissimilar, joined together by means of gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from the sending network to the protocols used by the receiving network (with packets if necessary). When capitalized, the term xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d refers to the collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols.
The Internet has become a cultural fixture as a source of information, entertainment, and communications. Many businesses are creating Internet sites as an integral part of their marketing efforts, informing consumers of the products or services offered by the business or providing other information seeking to engender brand loyalty. Many federal, state, and local government agencies are also employing Internet sites for informational purposes, particularly agencies which must interact with virtually all segments of society such as the Internal Revenue Service and secretaries of state. Providing informational guides and/or searchable databases of online public records may reduce operating costs. Further, the Internet is becoming increasingly popular as a medium for commercial transactions.
In addition to being a source of information, the Internet also provides a communications medium. The Internet has become the most popular computer network used by consumers and businesses to send and receive electronic mail, also referred to as xe2x80x9ce-mailxe2x80x9d. The Internet allows users to readily send and receive e-mail to and from computers around the world. Each user typically has a unique Internet e-mail address (e.g., steve@ibm.com). A user with an e-mail account and a computer capable of connecting to the Internet can easily send and receive e-mail over the network.
E-mail allows a person to quickly and easily send textual messages and other information, such as, for example, pictures, sound recordings, and formatted documents electronically to other e-mail users anywhere in the world. An e-mail user will typically create a message using an e-mail program running on a computer connected to a computer network through a modem. The message will include an e-mail xe2x80x9caddressxe2x80x9d for the intended recipient. When the user has finished entering the message, the user may xe2x80x9csendxe2x80x9d the message to the intended recipient. The e-mail program then electronically transmits the message over the computer network. The recipient, using an e-mail program running on the recipient""s computer, can then xe2x80x9creceivexe2x80x9d the message.
The situation involving network based information, especially the large amounts of e-mail sent between various users may present users with xe2x80x9cinformation overloadxe2x80x9d. Often times a user will check the user""s mailbox and find a multitude of new e-mail that has arrived since the last time the user checked for e-mail. This situation can result in important message being ignored or unseen until a later time. Users, however, often desire to be notified when a particular e-mail is received. Likewise, the e-mail containing the desired information may arrive at a time when the user is busy performing another task. In such a case, it is desirable for an arrival of the new e-mail with the desired information to be announced in an audible fashion. Current e-mail systems provide the use of sound effects or recorded statements. These types of notification, however, fail to provide any detail as to the source of the information or the information contained within the e-mail.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for announcing the receipt of electronic messages, such as e-mail messages.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for announcing receipt of an electronic message. When a message including text is received, the message is filtered to determine what will be announced. Text from the filtered message is selectively combined with announcement text to create modified announcement text in which filtered text is selectively placed into the announcement text. The modified announcement text is then transformed into synthesized speech or combined synthesized speech with prerecorded audio. Also, based on user settings, the parameters for voice synthesis can be adjusted to, in effect, announce different types of messages using different predefined synthetic xe2x80x98voicesxe2x80x99.